A major task in network traffic monitoring involves capturing packets entering and/or leaving various network components, and delivering the packets to appropriate tools for analysis. For example, in a virtualized network environment, multiple virtual machines (VMs) may be conversing with each other and with external end-points. Capturing network traffic from these VMs to provide just the right selection of network traffic for a tool to perform its task may be difficult.
Also, as packets are passed through various network components, the network components may perform packet processing with different respective packet processing efficiencies and capabilities. If the path of packet transmission from a target to a tool is not set up properly, the result may be over-processing of packets, leading to lower packet processing efficiency. In other cases, the result may be under-processing of packets, leading to a tool's inability to perform its task.